i know this sounds dumb, but i am really stumped on what classifies one as an AIDS patient. i understand the part about getting below 200 CD4, but what if you are 160 but VL undectable and no sickness as of yet? are you still considered AIDS? What if you come from like a CD4 and jump to 350...does this make you no longer an AIDS patient and then only HIV status? thank you clearing this up for me.

Response from Dr. Holodniy

The definition of AIDS is anyone with a CD4 count of <200 or a CD4 percentage < 14%. This definition denotes a significant risk for developing AIDS defining opportunistic infections. For many people this is a historical diagnosis, since their CD4 counts have risen above this number because of treatment.

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